General requirements

Applicants holding a secondary education or a corresponding qualification have access to the first level of higher education.

Admission is based on entrance examinations which take place from 8 July to 14 July in Tartu, Narva, Pärnu or Viljandi, Estonia.

A precondition for taking the entrance examination is that the applicant’s average study result at upper-secondary education level is at least 66% of the highest possible score.

International applicants are required to pay a non-refundable application fee of EUR 50, unless they have completed the previous study level in Estonia.

Language requirements

Estonian language requirements

In order to start studies in Estonian, students are required to be sufficiently fluent in Estonian. Proficiency in Estonian must correspond at least to the level of B2, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Estonian language exam can be taken at Foundation Innove. Applicants who have a good command of Estonian language but do not have a recognised certificate of the language proficiency, need to take an exam prior to their studies in the end of August (this option is unavailable for applicants of the Estonian group of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy).

All students admitted to the university who do not speak sufficient Estonian need to complete the Intensive Estonian Language Courses first. The courses are offered on the basis of English and Russian. Applicants who would start to learn Estonian on the basis of English also have to meet the English language requirements. Requirements for Russian language proficiency are specified here.

Exception: Applicants interested in the programmes of Medicine (Estonian group), Dentistry and Pharmacy are required to be proficient in Estonian at the time of applying. The language skills in Estonian must correspond at least to the level of B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Upon applying to medical studies (general Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy), results of Estonian language proficiency exam (B2 or C1) must be submitted by the application deadline (additional certificates which are recognised are specified here). The Estonian language test organised by Innove can be taken in May at the latest (please upload the registration proof to the test to your online application in DreamApply).

Application requirements

Application process

Submit the online application form. You are required to upload scanned copies of all the documents indicated below onto your DreamApply account. Once registered, you will receive an applicant code which gives access to your account to track your application status.

Mail the printed and signed application (do not send any documents by e-mail) with hard copies of all the required documents by 1 June to: Student Admissions, University of Tartu, Ülikooli 18-133, Tartu 50090, ESTONIA.

The university will not process incomplete applications, so applicants should make sure all of the required documents reach the University via DreamApply and via regular mail by 1 June.

All international applicants are required to pay the application fee EUR 50, unless they have completed the previous study level in Estonia. An application will only be processed after the fee has been received by the UT. Read more about paying the application fee.

Applicants graduating in summer 2019 and having their final certificates issued later than the application deadline (in July, for example) must send their most recent grade list (transcript) by the application deadline along with the rest of the required documents. Admitted candidates are required to post the certified copies of their graduation documents as soon as these have been issued (no later than by the end of July).

All copies of educational documents (secondary school certificate and grade list/transcript) must be officially certified. Certified copies should bear an original signature and seal of the authority certifying that these are true copies of the original. The documents can be certified: 1) by an authorized official of the issuing institution; 2) by a notary; 3) with an Apostille attached. The University does not accept simple copies of already certified copies. Some country-specific requirements also specify the way documents must be certified: important information for non-EU applicants is available here.

Only complete application packages will be considered by the Admissions Committee.

Academic aptitude test

To apply to the programmes Psychology and Dentistry, applicants have to take the academic aptitude test (in Estonian or Russian, can be replaced with the SAT test). Other applicants do not have to take the academic aptitude test, but can do that if they want to. Those who score 65 or more at the academic aptitude test are admitted to a curriculum they would like to be enrolled in.

The academic aptitude test (instructed in Estonian or Russian) will take place on 23 March and 8 July 2019 in Estonia. Please contact Student Admissions for further information.

Announcement of admission results

How do I find out about the results and when do I have to notify the university of my decision?

Admission notifications will be sent through the DreamApply system. All admitted students must inform the university of their decision to accept or decline the offer within 7 days.

Can I postpone my studies to the next academic year?

Students accepted to the university cannot postpone the beginning of their studies to the next academic year. Please also keep in mind that students who have already been matriculated at the University of Tartu (and later request for exmatriculation from the university), but would like to be readmitted to the same programme within the following two years, cannot study free of charge.

Information for non-EU applicants

Note to non-EU applicants to Estonian-language programmes: as admission results for the Estonian-language programmes will be announced by 15 July 2019, non-EU applicants might not have enough time to apply for the temporary residence permit in order to travel to Estonia. Receiving the permit may take 2-3 months while the academic year starts already on 2 September 2019. Thus, applying simultaneously for a visa is recommended. Please find more information about the application process for the residence permit.

After admission

Original documents to Student Admissions

Upon arrival to the university (within one week), all international degree-seeking students must present their original qualification certificates (diploma and transcript) to the International Admissions Coordinators.

Fraudulent documents or no access to higher education

The university reserves the right to withdraw or amend any offer or revoke the matriculation of a student, if it becomes evident that the application contains fraudulent information, the qualification does not provide access to the chosen study programme or the student is found to have omitted key information from the application. Should such circumstances occur, the university will not be liable for any material or immaterial loss which the student may suffer as a result.

Ask a student

"Estonia is an amazing place filled with beauty and serenity. Tartu is a small and cosy student city. At first, I was amazed by how international this place really was. You will meet people for all over the world either studying or working here. Also, by staying in Estonia you will get a chance to visit or just further explore wonders of Northern Europe."